Vinyl weatherstrip



INVENTORS v i (?//f H. R. ALLEY ETAL VINYL WEATHERSTRIP Original Filed March 25, 1960 Feb. 2, 1965 United Stateslatent 3,167,327 VINYL WEATHERS'RP Harry R. Alley, Anderson, ind., .lames H. Wernig, Birmingham, Mich., and Lyle N. Williams, Anderson, Ind., assignors to General Motors Corporation,Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Belau/are Continuation ot' application Ser. No. 17,639, Mar. 25,

' 196i?. `This application dan. 24, i963, Ser. No. Zildi-W 4 Ciairns. (Ci. 20u69) This invention relates tosealing strips and more particularly to flexible elongate sealing strips for sealing closures. rl`his application is a continuation of applicants vcopending application Serial No. 17,639, iiled March 25, 1960, and now abandoned.

One of the main features of this invention is that it provides a sealing strip which includesr a resilient elongate body of polyvinyl resin foam material having an outer coextensive layer of substantially non-porous or solid polyvinyl resin which is formed integrally with the body so as to encase the body entirely Within the outer layer.

Another feature of this invention is that it provides a resilient elongate sealing stri-p which includes integral attaching means for mounting the sealing strip on a supporting member. In carrying out this feature of the Vinvenv tion, the base section of the sealing strip includes a substantially thick base layer of the solid polyvinyl resin and r6 i ice Patented Feb. 2, 1965 ing, a vehicle body it) includes a front door 12-which is hinged to the body adjacent itsfor-ward edge 14 for swinging movement between ar closed position, as shown, and

an open position, not shown, with the door being latchedto the body in closed position by suitable latching means mounted on the door adjacent the rearward edge i6 therei of. Door l2 includes aflower door section 18 and an a num-ber oi headed buttons oi solid polyvinyl resin pro-` ject froml the base layer. Lateral access passages open from the side of the sealing strip to bores within the buttons so that a suitable tool can be inserted to stretch the heads of the buttons whereby they can be inserted terial which includes-a base section and a sealing lip projecting angularly outwardly therefrom, with the base section and the sealing lip .being encased within an outer layer of substantially non-porous or solid polyvinyl resin y which is formed integrally therewith. Opposite to the scaliniy lip and projecting oppositely thereto, is a rigiditying rib or" solid polyvinyl resin which rigidies the base section against rolling on t'hesupporting member to ensure that the sealing ylip will flex independently of the base section when the lip engages a sealing surface. The substantially thick base layer of solid polyvinyl resin on the base section cooperates with the rig-idifying rib in rigiditying the base section against rolling on the supporting member to further ensure independent ileXing of the sealing lip.

These and other features of this, invention will be vreadily apparent from the following specification and erally'along the lplane indicated by line 2 2 ofVFlG- URE 1, and

. FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the seal-ing strip.

Referring now particularly to FGURE l of the drawupper door window frame section 2li which defines the door window opening for the swingable ventilation window 22 and the vertically movable door window 24.

Referring now particularly to FGURE 2 Vof the drawing, the door window frame section 20 includes an innerframe member 26 andk an outer frame member 2li having a terminal flange 3i) bent over a terminal ilange 32 of member Z6 to proyide the door outer ilange. Member 26 includes a number of spaced apertures 34, and a chan'- nel-shaped reinforcing member 36 which is secured to member 2.6 is also providedwith a like number ofcomplernentary spaced apertures 3&3 larger thanthe apertures 34. It willbe understood, of course, that the'apertures 34 are provided entirely around the framey section 2i? and that similar apertures are also provided in the front hinge pillar face, bottom face, and rear lock pillar face of the lower door section-18. As indicated schematically in FGURE l of; the drawing, the apertures 34 mount a sealing strip ill according to this invention on the door i2 so as to seal the door against the body when the door is in a closed position as shown.

The sealing str-ip dii will now be described with particular reference Vto FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawing. Strip it? includes a resilient elongate body t2 of polyvinyl resin foam material. Body d2 generally includes a base section 4liand an integral angularly outwardly eX- 'tending sealing lip 46 which projects from one of the upper corners of the base section and is joinedto the upper wall ligand side wall 59 of the base section by arcuate juncture portions 52 to increase the ability of the vsealing lip to flex independently of the base section. The

elongate body 42 is encased Within an outer coextensive layer 56 of substantially non-porous or solid polyvinyl resin which is formed integrally with the body 42. As

shown, the outer layer 56 is generally thin around the sealing lip 45 and the upper and side Walls of the base section. However, the outer layer 56 includes a substantially thick base layer 53 on the lower wall of the base section 44, with the base layer including a pair of laterally extending ribs .60. A substantially thick rigiditying rib 62 formed integral with layer S6 is located at the other yupper corner of the base section, generally opposite to the sealing lip 46and projects oppositely thereto.

Projecting from the base layer '58 intermediate the ribs 60. are a plurality of'spaced integral mountingbuttons 66 which provide the means for mounting strip 40 on vthe door as will be further described. The mounting buttons 66 generally include an ogival or bullet shaped head 63 joined to layer 58 by a short inset neck 70. As shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawing, the neck 70 is provided with a rectangularly shaped passage 72 which terminates in a rectangularly shaped bulbous end 73 located partially within the neck ".70l and partially within the head 68 of each of the buttons. The passage 72 joins to a lateral rectangularly shaped flared .passage '74 which opens outwardly of wall 50 ofthe strip yunderneath the sealing lip 46. As can be seen in FIGURES 2 and 3, the upper and lower wallsof the passage '74 merge arcuately with an enlarged outergenerally rectangularly shaped openl ing 7S which is insety very slightly from the outer side traan button, as shown.

When it is desired to mount the'strip 40 on the door, a suitable :tool is inserted through the passages 72 and 74 into the bulbous end 7,3 of the button. The button is then stretched with respect to the base layer 53 so that the head 68 of the button can be inserted through an aperture` 34 .in the door, the diameter -of aperture 34 bein-g less thanthe ydiameter of the =base of the head 68 of the thelower Wall ofthe head 68 will grasp the inner surface of member 26V to hold ribs 60 in tight engagement with the outer surface of member 26 and to also .partially ilat- Thereafter, the tool is -removed and ten the ribs asV shown, since the distance between the t to ensure that ribsl 60 tightlyengage the outer lsurface of member 26':intermediate apertures 34. When'door 12 'is in closed position, yas-shown in FIGURE 2,lip'46 en'-l gagesa sealing surface 8Go-f the body 10 to deflect the Vsealin-g lipi as s'hown, as the lip eXes relative to vbase section 44fabout the arcuate juncture portions 52.

The heavy base layer 58 of layer 56 acts to rigidityl the base section 44 of body42 .so that the sealing lip t Ywill flex independently of the base section and will also not cause the base section Vto roll with respect to the outer surface of member 26. when the door is closed.

The base layer .58 further rigidilies passages 72 and-74 and provides a firm anchor for buttons` 66 on the base section 4d to prevent separationbetween the base section and the buttons when the sealing strip is mounted on the door vand also when the sealing lip vt6 iexes relative to the basesection.

sealing lip to further prevent rolling of the base section relative to member 26 when the sealing lip is flexed.

Asv shown in lFIGURE 2,. when the weatherstrip isl mounted on the door, the rib 62 engages tiange 32 and is partially flattened thereby whereby the flange backs `up the rib and aids the rib in preventing rolling of the base The base section44 is also f rigidied by the rib @which projects oppositely to the' latex or other gsimilar elastomeric material.

t pearance adds ber-used with equalsuccess with sealing strips `formed of f over presently known sealing strips whichfinclude, a

foam rubber body provided with ran outer covering of One distinct advantage is the lack of any squeak caused by rub- "bing of the sealing. strip against the sealing surface when the doorxis being closed, or while the door is closed and the automobile is in motion. This 'squeak is a particularly troublesome problem withv presently known :sealing strip materials and can become very objectionable. Another distinct advantage isin the smoothappearance of the outer surface of the sealing strip. This smooth apgreatly to'improve theappearance of the automobile.v f f For a description of a process for manufacturing a sealingstrip such as described herein, reference may be had to the copending application Serial-No. y17,518 Alley et al., iilcd MarchZS, 1960,V assigned to the assignee of this invention. n Y

ln the .specification land in the following claims, the term polyvinyl resin foam. means a foam or cellular product producedby heating a polyvinyl plastisol containing a blowing agent to a temperature in the neighborhood of the fusion temperature ofthe resin and above the temperature at which the blowing agent generatesV a gas whereby the plastisolis expandedV and converted into a cellular or foamed plastic material. An example of la suitable Vpolyvinyl plastisol for use in the present invention consists of about 100 parts ofplastisol-grade polyvinyl chloride, 8O to 105 parts of a suitable plasticizer such as tricresyl phosphate, di-Z-ethylhexyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, dioctyl adipate, doctyl sebecate and mixtures ofv these andvother suitable plasticizers Pref- Y erably the lplastisol contains 3 to 5 partsfof. a stabilizer section with respect to member 2.6 when the sealing'lipy v42jis deflected from its normaly position as shown therein in dotted lines to its sealingposition. y It is-well known in the sealing strip art to provide attaching buttons similar to the buttons 66 which areVY stretched by insertion of a tool within the buttons in orderA that the buttons may be inserted through an aperture of smaller size so as to mount the sealing strip on a supporting memben However, in all such. prior art strips, the passageopening to the interior of the buttons is `straight and opens to the upper wall of the strip through the arcuate junctureportion 52 which joins the sealing lip t6 to the base section 44. -By locating the passages 72 and" 74 generally normal to eachother sothat passage 74 opens tothe side of the sealing strip, certain very definite and unique advantages are obtained. One distinct advantageis the minimization of water accumulation-within the passage which opens to the interior of the' buttons. This water accumulation may have va deleterious effect on certain sealing strip materials, and additionally can cause-tearing'of'the body of the strip when the passage is compressed upon ydeection of the sealingstrip. Ad-

' ditionally, the passage 74 is much stronger than a passage `opening tothe upper wall of the sealing strip since it is partiallysurrounded by the heavy base layer 5S' so as to prevent possible' tearing of the wall of the passage upon insertion of the tool. Another distinct advantagev such as dibasic lead phosphite. The blowing agent preferably consistsof N,Nv-'dinitroso-N,Ndimethyl terephthalamide present in a range of l to 8 parts.

By the term polyvinyl resin is meant vinyl resins suchv as 'polyvinyl chloride, vvinyl chloride-acetate `copolymers, and-vinyl chloride-diethyl maleate-copolymers.

Thus, thistinvention provides a new and improved `sealing strip for sealing closures. i

l. A tiexible sealing strip, comprising, a resilient elongate body of plastic resin `foam material, `said `body' including a base section and an integral sealing lip projecting yangularly from the uppery wallV of said base section, and having an outer coextensive layer of .substantially non-porous plastic resin material formed therewith so as to encase said body therewithin, a plu'- rality ofv hollow mounting buttons4 of substantially nonporous plastic resin material projecting from the lower wall of said base section, said vbase section including a lateral passage located below said sealing lip and opening to lone side wall'of said base section and to the interior of said buttons to permit the linsertion of a tool into the. interior of said buttons.

2. A flexible. sealing strip comprising, a resilient elongate body of polyvinyl resin foam material having-a base section, an integral flexible sealing lip projecting angularly from the upper wall or said base section adjacent one of the side Walls thereof, said lip merging-on arcuate junctures ywith saidlone 4offsaid sideV walls and with said upper wall, said body having an outer thin coextensive layer of substantially non-porous Vpolyvinyl resin formed integrally with said base section andcoextensive with said sealing lip, with'said oneof saidY side walls, with said upper wall,`rand .with the other of thel side walls of said body, an elongate rib of substantially non-porous polyvinyl resin projecting from said base section oppositeiy to said sealing lip to rigidity vsaid base section and ensure flexing of said sealinglip-*independentlyV of V integrally i said base section, an outer substantially thick layer of non-porous polyvinyl resin coextensive with the lower wall of said base section, and mounting means secured to said base section, said mounting means including a plurality of hollow mounting buttons of substantially nonporous polyvinyl resin projecting from the lower wall of said base section and having the interiors thereof communicating with respective lateral passages located within said base section below said sealing lip and opening to said one side Wall thereof.

3. In combination with a support member, a flexible sealing strip, comprising, a resilient elongate body of polyvinyl resin foam material, said body including a base section and an integral sealing lip projecting angularly therefrom and having an outer coeXtensive layer of substantially non-porous polyvinylV resin formed integrally therewith so as to encase said body therewithin, spaced mounting means on the lower wall of said base section for mounting said strip on said support member, and an elongate rigidifying rib of substantially non-porous polyvinyl resin projecting angularly from said base section and oppositely to said sealing lip to rigidity said base section against rolling relative to said support member and to ensure flexing of said sealing lip independently of said base section upon engagement of said sealing lip with a sealing surface, said rigidifying rib having a thickness many times l greater than that of said outer coextensive layer and being formed integral with said outer coextensive layer.

4. A i'iexible sealing strip comprising, an elongate body of resilient material, said body including a base section and a sealing lip formed integral with said base section and extending angularly therefrom, a plurality of hollow headed mounting buttons projecting from the lower wall of said base section and being formed integral with said base section and sealing lip, said base section including a passage enclosed therewithin and opening at one end thereof to one side of said base section below said sealing lip, said passage opening at the other end thereof to the interior of said hollow mounting buttons and cooperating therewith to vprovide a continuous generally L-s'naped guide passage guiding insertion of a tool into the interior of each of said mounting buttons to permit stretching of said buttons generally longitudinally thereof and receipt ot said buttons within openings provided in a support panel.

Reerences Qited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,694,291 Sywert Dec. 4, 1928 2,638,642 Spraragen May 19, 1953 2,781,561 Gilford et al Feb. 19, 1957 2,884,668 Harris et al. May 5, 1959 2,972,789 Mathues Feb. 28, 1961 3,011,218 Mitten Dec. 5, 1961 3,112,536 Gagnier Dec. 3, 1963 

1. A FLEXIBLE SEALING STRIP, COMPRISING A RESILIENT ELONGATED BODY OF PLASTIC RESIN FOAM MATERIAL, SAID BODY INCLUDING A BASE SECTION AND AN INTEGRAL SEALING LIP PROJECTING ANGULARLY FROM THE UPPER WALL OF SAID BASE SECTION, AND HAVING AN OUTER COEXTENSIVE LAYER OF SUBSTANTIALLY NON-POROUS PLASTIC RESIN MATERIAL FORMED INTEGRALLY THEREWITH SO AS TO ENCASE SAID BODY THEREWITHIN, A PLURALITY OF HOLLOW MOUNTING BUTTONS OF SUBSTANTIALLY NONPOROUS PLASTIC RESIN MATERIAL PROJECTING FROM THE LOWER WALL OF SAID BASE SECTION, SAID BASE SECTION INCLUDING A LATERAL PASSAGE LOCATED BELOW SAID SEALING LIP AND OPENING TO ONE SIDE WALL OF SAID BASE SECTION AND TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID BUTTONS TO PERMIT THE INSERTION OF A TOOL INTO THE INTERIOR OF SAID BUTTONS. 